Battery-element puller.



Ml MELIA.

BATTERY ELEMENT FULLER. APPLICATION n'uzo NOV. 14. 1913.

Patented Sept. 4,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

famaw MJ'MELIA. BATTERY ELEMENT, FULLER.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV. 14. 1913- 1,239,420. Patentedsept. 4, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

MARTIN MELIA, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 COMMERCIAL TRUCK COMPANY OF AMERICA, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPO- RATION or PENNSYLVANIA.

BATTERY-ELEMENT PULLEN.

Specification of Letters Patent. i

Application filed November 14, 1913. Serial No. 801,052.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, MARTIN MELIA, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Battery-Element Pullers, of which the following is a specification.

' One object of my invention is to provide a relativelv simple and conveniently operative device for forcibly removing the plates jammed by reason of warping or swelling,

partly. in vertical section,

or elements of storage batteries from their containing jars in case they should become the arrangement of parts being such that there is but little danger, under operatlng conditions, of injuring either the jar or the elements.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the general character above noted which shall include novel means for engaging the elements of a storage battery cell and other means for engaging and holding the jar or container in which the elements are mounted, whereby it shall be possible to conveniently and quickly remove the elements from the jar even though these may have been so swelled or otherwise distorted as to strongly grip the walls of the latter.

These objects and other advantageous ends I secure as hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which I Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in vertical section, illustrating one form of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1, and 1 Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively a plan,

and a side elevation of a slightly modified form of the in.- vention.

In that form of my invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2, 1 represents an elongated base piece, such as a heavy plank or casting, in which are fixed two similar standards 2 projecting upward at a distance apart slightly greater than the width of the container of the particular storage battery cell on which the apparatus is intended to operate. These standards are preferably braced and have Extending across the top edge of each of the standards 2, and suitably fixed thereto is an inwardly extending strip or flange 4 whose adjacent edges are recessed to provide holding shoulders for the reception of the top edge of a battery jar or container 5 in such manner as to prevent its vertical movement from between the standards 2.

i For engaging the plates or elements of the battery I provide a handle in the shape of anelongated bar 6 connected by a horizontal bolt 7 to the upper part of a frame 8. This latter consists of two substantially parallel plates 8 spaced apart by sleeves 9 formed by the rolled up ends of hooks 11 respectively mounted on bolts 10 connecting the lower portions of said plates. These hooks are made of relatively strong plate material whose'lower ends are bent away from each other to form plate-engaging portions 12. The outer surfaces of these portions are preferably inclined or slightly curved as shown, and said hooks are at all times pressed apart by a pair of springs 13 re.- spectively confined between them and a central member 14 which extends transversely 'between the parallel plates 8* of the frame.

In order to limit the outward movement of the two hooks, I provide for each of them a pin 15 extending between the two plates 8 so that while free to move toward each other from the positions shown when the springs 13 are compressed, they normally are substantially parallel.

In storage batteries used to furnish current for the propulsion of motor vehicles, it is found that the plates or elements of such batteries frequently swell or warp so that it is extremely difficult to remove them from their jars. without breaking the latter, and in applying my invention to such a cell the latter is placed on the base piece 1 by being moved sidewise between the two standards 2, so that its upper edges rest within or under the shouldered recesses of the flanges 4.

It is to bef-noted that the members 8 of the frame 8,-as well as the cross-piece 14,

are made of some insulating material such nate battery elements in the well known manner and to which are connected the terminals 19 and 20. Under these conditions the turned-over portions 12 of the hooks slidably engage the adjacent edges of the straps, thus forcing said hooks to turn on their pivots against the action of the springs 13, until when they have been lowered sufficiently far, they move outwardlyinto the positions shown in Fig. 1, so that their turned-over portions 12 rest under portions of the connecting straps 17 and 18 respectively. The operator then stands upon the base 1, preferably with his feet respectively adjacent the standards 2 and pulls upwardly on the handle 6. Since the jar or container 5 is held by the flanges 4: from moving'vertically out from between the standards 2, the elements 16 of the battery are forcibly removed from said jar.

In cases where thebattery elements have become so firmly jammed wlthin the jars or containers as to render it diflicult or impossible to remove them by hand with the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2, I may em- P y in Figs. 3 and 4. In this case the base piece 1 has fixed to its ends relatively heavy angle pieces 20 and 21 or any other suitable structures projecting substantially at right angles to its general line. The projecting end 'of the piece 20 is longitudinally slotted for the reception of the threaded end 22 of a bolt, which is pivotally or otherwise mounted on the bolt 7 of the hook-carrying tion in its slotby a pair of jam nuts, de-

frame 8, whose construction is substantially identical with that shown in Figs. -1 and 2. This bolt may be held in any desired posipending upon the dimensions of the particular batteries on which i. is desired to operate.

The second angle member 21 likewise has its projecting end slotted for" the reception of a double flanged bearing sleeve 24, through which looselypasses an elongated screw 25, it being noted that said sleeve is rectangular in section so that it cannot turn and is splined to the screw so that this also is held from rotation though free. to slide 1 f longitudinally through said sleeve. The latter may be' clamped in any adjusted position, in the slot by a bolt 26 connecting the two branches or sideportions of the end of the angle member" 21.

'Monnted on the screw 25 outside the angle piece 21 is a hand wheel 28 which when rotated in either direction .causes a longithe modification of my invention shown j tudinal movement of said screw. The latter is supported by the sleeve 24 so that it extends in substantially the line' of the bolt 22 and its end nearest said bolt is preferably forked as shown at 29, having a pin 30 extending between its branches. In this case the j ar-engaging member consists of an elongated plate 31 bent into a U-shaped form and having its extremities turned over to provide hooks 32 for engagement with opposite edges of the battery jar 5. To the center of the baseof this member 31 is fixed a suitably formed hook 33 capable of entering between the forks of .the end. 29 of the screw 25, so as to engage the cross pin 30 thereof. In addition a pair of handles 34 is fixed to the base of this element 31, to facilitate the manipulation thereof.

Mounted on the base structure 1 adjacent the hooked ends of the element 31 is a U- shaped yoke piece 35 having feet 36 and closely embracing said member; its side elements having longitudinally extending slots for the reception of threaded studs 38 proj ecting outwardly from the side portions of the member 31 to which they are fixed.-

Each of these studs has mounted upon it a thumb-screw 39. V

' In using'this form of my apparatus, the member 31 is placed around the jar 5 from which the elements 16 are to be removed, with its hooks 32 engagin two of the opposite t'op edges thereof. he thumb-screws 39 are then loosened and the yoke 35 is adjusted until it supports the front end of the member 31 at the proper height above the base 1", so that its central plane includes the center line of the bolt 22, after which said screws are tightened. The open end of the jar is then advanced toward the hooks 11 whoseends 12, being pressed toward each other by reason of their engagement with the terminals or connecting straps of the battery elements, finally spring outward into the positions shown in Fig. 3 in which they respectively extend under portions of said straps or terminals. The screw 25 is then ad usted so that the pin '30 of its forked end 29-may be caused to enter the recess of the hook 33. Thereafter revolution' of the hand wheel 28 causes said screw to be moved longitudinally through the angle member 21 with the result that the battery jar 5 is forcibly drawn away from the battery elements 16. y

Obviously the screw 25 and base 1 may be of suitable proportions to permit of the battery jar being completely drawn off of the'battery elements and thereafter the latter may be disengaged from the hooks 11. The forked end of the screw 25 is likewise disengaged from the hook 33 of the member 31 and this is lifted clear of the battery With this form of my invention, the handles 34 may be employed to draw the member 31 and with it the jaw 5 away from the elements 16 if these latter are not so tightly jammed in the jar as to require the use of the screw. In any case the battery elements may be forcibly removed from a jaw or container within which they aremounted and by the use of the apparatus above described such removal is quickly accomplished without tendency to break or chip the jars.

I claim 1. The combination in a battery element pulling device of a frame providing two substantially parallel standards; a U-shaped member mounted on one of said standards and having hooked ends adapted to engage the edges of the open end of a battery jar for holding the same against longitudinal movement; and a device mounted on the other standard having transversely extending parts formed to engage the terminal Dortions of the battery elements in the jar for withdrawing the same while said jar is held by said U-shaped member.

2. The combination in a battery element pulling device of means formed to engage the edges of a battery jar to, hold it from longitudinal movement; and means including two members insulated from each other and formed to respectively engage the terminal portions of the two sets of elements for withdrawing the same from the jar while it is so held.

3. The combination in a battery element pulling device of means for holding a battery jar from longitudinal movement; with means including a frame'and two hooks mounted thereon for respectively engaging the terminal portions of the elements in the jar for withdrawing the same while said jar is held; with automatic means acting on the hooks to force them apart.

4. The combination in a battery element pulling device of means for holding a bat tery jar from longitudinal movement; an element withdrawing device consisting of a frame, and two hooked members pivotally mounted on the frame so that their end portions are free to move toward and from each other; and springs tending to cause the hooked ends of said members to move apart.

5. The combination in a battery element pulling device of means for holding a battery jar from longitudinal movement; means for withdrawing the elements from the jar while it is so held, the same including a frame and two members pivoted thereto and having their extremities oppositely hooked; means for insulating said members from each other; means for automatically pressing apart the hooked ends of the members; and means for limiting the movement of said members on their pivots.

til"

6. The combination in a battery element pulling device,

ing said ends apart.

7 The combination of a supporting frame; a hook device mounted thereon for engaging the elements of a battery cell; a second hook device also mounted on said structure in position for engaging the edges of a battery jar; and mechanism mounted to simultaneouslysubject both of said devices to tension to withdraw the elements from said jar.

8. The combination of a base; a hook device mounted thereon for holding the elements of a battery cell against longitudinal movement; a second hook-device for engaging the jar containing said elements; with mechanism also mounted on the base and detachably connected to said jar-engaging device in position to exert tension on both of said devices in withdrawing the elements from the jar.

9. The combination of a supporting structure having two projecting substantially parallel members; an element-engaging device connected to one of said members; a screw carried by the other member so as to be longitudinally movable therethrough and projecting toward said device; a jarengaging device detachably connected to said screw; and means for longitudinally moving the screw to separate the jar and the elements therein.

10. The combination of a base; a device mounted thereon and formed to detachably engagethe edges of a battery jar to hold it against longitudinal movement; means for supporting said device in operative position on the jar at a predetermined distance from the base; means carried by said base for engaging the elements in the battery jar; and means for forcibly moving the jarengaging device away from the element-engaging devioe.

11. The combination of a supporting structure; a device mounted thereon for engaging the elements of a battery cell for holding the same against longitudinal movement; a U-shaped member having hooked extremities formed to engage the edges of the open end of the jar containing said elements; shaped member; and a nut operative on the screw and engaging the supporting structure.

12. The combination of a supporting structure having two projecting members each provided with a slot; an element-en.-

a screw connected to said U- in the slot of the other member and detach ably connected to said ]ar-engag1ng devlce for longitudinally moving the same away from the element-engaging dev1ce.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscriblng witnesses.

MARTIN MELIA.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM E. BRADLEY, WM. A. BARR. 

